Pregnant woman’s remains found in Oregon woods still a mystery 44 years later, police say
More than 40 years ago, hunters discovered the remains of a young woman under a log on an Oregon hillside.
The woman, who was in the third trimester of her pregnancy, was found about 100 feet from a nearby road outside La Grande near Finley Creek on Aug. 27, 1978, according to the nonprofit The Doe Network. Her age was estimated to be between 14 and 25.
After autopsies were conducted, the bodies were cremated, according to the nonprofit, and the location of the remains is unknown.
Officials don’t know Finley Creek Jane Doe’s identity and continue to search for answers.
During a recent search operation for any potential “bone fragments or other evidence” that could be used to find an identity through DNA testing, Oregon State Police said they, along with the state Medical Examiner’s Office forensic anthropologist, state police major crimes detectives and members of the Union County Search and Rescue team, dug up three locations, including the original burial site, and two other nearby areas on Aug. 16 and 17.
All three locations “were examined thoroughly,” Oregon police said in an Aug. 26 Facebook post. The teams sifted “dirt and material through screens” looking for evidence.
While more than 50 bones were found during the August search, the forensic anthropologist determined none were human, according to officials.
The recent operation yielded “nothing of evidentiary value,” according to police.
“The Oregon State Police and other law enforcement partners will continue to stay in contact with all interested parties in hopes of successfully resolving the identity of the Finley Creek Jane Doe and bringing closure to her family,” police said.
Anyone who believes they may have information about this case is asked to call police at 800-442-0776 and reference case number SP78-752103.
La Grande is about 260 miles east of Portland.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Pregnant woman’s remains found in Oregon woods still a mystery 44 years later, police say."
